Category: travel tips

August 14, 2018

The Top Four Camping Kids Games That You Must Have This Year

While we may be in the start of August, summer is far from over! We still have several great weekends left of camping, labour day long weekend and not to mention fall camping (one of my favourite seasons to camp in from my Girl Guides days!). Camping (or glamping!) not only gets us out of the city but forces us to put away the electronics and our connections to work, and focus on the most important thing, family.

As parents, we know how quickly our children’s attention spans can be. While we may be content curled up reading a book in nature or enjoy watching the rain from inside the cover of a tent, children can be easily bored. The same goes for the car rides, day trips and the list can go on and on. It is so important that we are prepared in advance with games and activities that will keep them having fun and engaged.

Goliath Games has an incredible selection of fun indoor and outdoor activities that will keep them engaged both physically and mentally. These top four activities are easy to carry, easy to use, loads of fun and the best way to unwind together as a family. They are literally just pack and go!

To help save our sanity on the drive up to the camp, cottage or beach, the 6 in 1 travel magnetic games is a life saver! It is small and portable, just a tad bit longer than the length of your hand. Players can choose from checkers, chess, backgammon, Chinese checkers, snakes and ladders and Parcheesi. Each of these games will appeal to all age groups and your older ones will delight in being able to teach their younger counterparts.

This portable game is suited for two to four players, although we found two was the best just due to the size of the game itself. The board pieces were a bit smaller – so be careful when using them. They come with their own carry case that fits in the back of the game (bottom left image above). I loved this concept, as too many times we put the pieces in baggies and the baggie gets misplaced or parts thrown out, making the game unusable. This toy was easy to use and navigate for both our youngest and eldest.

While we all need those rainy day breaks, boredom and frustration can slowly creep in if you don’t have enough planned or ready to go but Flip’n Chips has you covered! This is a unique take on the traditional game of memory. The game can be played with up to four people, although I think two to three would be the best, especially with younger players. You put the chips in the case it comes in, shake and pour. Then you flip over a chip to find your colour – the first to seven chips wins! Easy right? We had a lot of fun playing this game, it is an interesting take on memory and you have to build up a strategy plan in order to secure the correct chip colours.

Need to burn some of that high energy off? Zoom Ball is the perfect, high action game for your children to play. The concept is pretty easy to follow – each child (or adult) pulls on their set of handles to send the ball in the middle over to their partner who performs the same action to send the ball back. You really have to keep yourself on your toes for this one! Especially if you are playing with younger children – it can be hard to keep up with them! This is an extremely fun and yet competitive game, especially in our home with all boys! Throw in a water balloon in the inside of the blue ‘ball’ and you really have some action fun!

The i-Top brings smart technology to kids activities, where you spin to win! In this activity, children spin the i-Top and it counts the number of spins – the higher your score, you win! This game reminded me of all the spinners and battle games my children loved to collect but this was far more advanced! Your kids will spin the top, complete challenges while it records who wins! No more battles over who is the winner here (win win for all parents!).

Summer camping, day trips to the beach and relaxing at the cottage should be a fun way to unwind with your family away from the stress of every day life. With planning, you can make every moment spectacular and full of adventure! Planning for downtimes, car rides and keeping them moving is key to a great adventure. These four games were by far a fantastic way to keep the kids moving, minds engaged and working together (and sometimes against to keep that competitive edge).

Make sure to follow Goliath Games on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with the latest toys, games and more!

What are you favourite summer time activities and games to do together as a family?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 13, 2017

Top 10 Montreal & Quebec City #DKCanada

This year, as a family, we have decided to explore more of our beautiful country. We have been to Ottawa and Gatineau but other than that as a family we haven’t traveled much throughout our province and neighbouring provinces. We really want to change this starting with a trip to the beautiful areas of Montreal and Quebec City.

About Top 10 Montreal & Quebec City

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Top 10 Montreal & Quebec City covers all the region’s major sights and attractions in easy-to-use “top 10” lists that help you plan the vacation that’s right for you.

This newly updated pocket travel guide for Montreal and Quebec City will lead you straight to the best attractions these cities have to offer, from walking around Old Montreal to visiting Notre-Dame Basilica to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Find the best hotels, food, and attractions for every budget.

This revised edition includes:

Brand-new itineraries help you plan your trip to these areas of Montreal and Quebec City.
Expanded and far more comprehensive, new laminated pull-out map now includes color-coded design, public transportation maps, and street indexes to make it even easier to use.
Maps of walking routes show you the best ways to maximize your time.
New Top 10 lists feature off-the-beaten-track ideas, along with standbys like the top attractions, shopping, dining options, and more.
Additional maps marked with sights from the guidebook are shown on inside cover flaps, with selected street index and metro map.
New typography and fresh layout throughout.

A free pull-out map is marked with sights from the guidebook and includes a street index and a metro map.

About DK Eyewitness Travel

For more than two decades, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides have helped travelers experience the world through the history, art, architecture, and culture of their destinations. Expert travel writers and researchers provide independent editorial advice, recommendations, and reviews. With guidebooks to hundreds of places around the globe available in print and digital formats, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides show travelers how they can discover more.

My Thoughts

The DK Eyewitness Travel guides are the perfect books to help you not only plan out your trip but to also carry with you while you are traveling. The book is slim and fits perfectly into a purse or a backpack. You will only need this book when planning and visiting in Montreal and Quebec City.

This book itself is colour coded and broken down into the following sections: Top 10 Montreal and Quebec City Highlights, The Top 10 of Everything, Montreal and Quebec City Area by Area and Streetsmart. You can find moments in history, historic sites, parks, performing arts and even children’s attractions and festivals and events. The Top 10 highlights helps you pinpoint the main stops you should make if you are limited with your time. I would absolutely love to visit the Basilique Notre-Dame and Musée Pointe á Callière. Each section also contains ten important facts and must see at each location, for example at the Basilique Notre-Dame they explain about the stained glass windows and Daudelin sculpture.

I really enjoyed the Streetsmart section which contains important information like how to get in and out of the city, getting around, hotels, customs as well as containing phone numbers, addresses for each location. There is even a useful phrases at the back of the book in case of emergencies and basic conversation! This guidebook is a definite must have for those traveling or are planning to travel to Montreal and Quebec City.

You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 21, 2017

Time to Spring Clean Your Car with Diono

With two young boys and competitive soccer practices five nights a week, my car takes a beating throughout the year. At any given time, you can find water bottles, soccer balls, blankets, crayons, books and toys spread out all over the backseat (and stale food that I don’t even want to begin to think of!). For some reason, throughout the winter I can not keep on top of keeping the inside of my car clean. I know this drives my husband absolutely crazy and he has even refused to drive my car at times because of it. Since my boys play soccer, you can imagine how dirty my car carpets get, I constantly find myself cleaning! My husband recently bought me some custom car mats and they’ve been an absolute lifesaver. It’s saving me so much time and I’ll be forever grateful!

I know when we think spring cleaning, we think our home and closets but this is all the best time to also clean out and organize your car. It is the perfect time to get rid of that mess we have been ignoring because it has been too cold outside to clean up and then re-organize the space we have so that it works for not only you but your children too.

STEP ONE: Plan it Out

Our needs change in the spring/summer for not only what we need to carry in our cars for emergencies but also for extra curricular activities. You no longer need the brush for your car for snow, extra winter hats and gloves or extra bottles of salt. Instead maybe you need extra folding chairs for watching your children play sports or an extra pair of sun hats, sunscreen or first aid kit. Write it all down: the must haves, the I wants and what you already have and what you may need to purchase.

STEP TWO: Clear it Out

This is by far the part that I hate the most but it is definitely the most rewarding. Start off by laying a blanket down beside your car and completely empty your car. Take out everything from the front to the rear and all the small items that may have fallen in every little crook. Keep a garbage bag to the side and as you empty your car, toss away the old receipts, broken crayons or toys, coffee cups and anything else you may have acquired over the winter season.

STEP THREE: Organize!

Organization is key. I am usually the most organized person in my life and in my house. My calendars are colour coordinated, I have several to do lists and I love everything neat and in its proper place. For some reason, I struggle when I try to apply this to my car. When you begin to organize your car, it is important to think of not only your own needs but the needs of your child too. If you go on longer rides, having items in the car for them stowed in an easy to reach manner is important to keep them busy (and you sane!).

The Diono Stow n’ Go is perfect for children as it easily attaches to the back of the driver or passenger seat and stores all of your child’s goodies tidily and in an easy to grab location. It is slim, looks tidy and matches the interior of your car with its black design. It has several pouches that zip up, which hides the toys, books and snacks that your child likes to bring on car trips. The back seat of your car (and quite possibly your spouse as in my case) will thank you!

While spring cleaning can be a bit of a pain at times, it truly helps prepare you for the new season ahead of you. You clean out the garbage and unused items and it gives you a chance to organize yourself and your children. You want to make sure that everything is clean, particuarly before you go off on a long journey, so maybe now it’s time to invest in getting something like the best car vacuum cleaner? It might make your spring clean that much easier. How do you spring clean your car? Is it a priority in your house?

Disclosure: I received a Diono Stow n’ Go in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 11, 2015

Putting Family Fun First at Centreville

Family time is special time in our house. We always make sure we do one small activity a week together (usually hiking, biking or swimming) and once a month a larger bonding activity (which usually involves some travel). Finding the right venue is extremely important for family bonding – you can’t enjoy each others company if you are miserable waiting in lines or can barely hear each other over the crowds.

This past weekend, we spent the day at Centreville on Toronto Island. This was our first time experiencing the ferry and Centre Island (even for me who grew up just north of Toronto!) and we were all excited. We weren’t quite to sure what to expect but we were ready for our special adventure and our mission to get on as many rides as possible and capture a selfie doing it.

When you are looking for a family friendly venue or attraction to take the whole family to like Centreville Amusement Park, here are some helpful areas to look at before deciding where to go:

A family oriented environment like Centreville is important to encourage bonding, learning and fun. Not only are there opportunities for fun but with lots of benches, breaks and nature everywhere you go, you can really focus on family and enjoying each other’s company. There is no pressure and you can just take your time at each area and even step away from the amusement park to take in some pretty spectacular views of Toronto.

A relaxed pace. One of the very first comments I made to my husband was that I felt like we had stepped off the ferry into another time. People were riding bikes, roller blading, ducks were walking across the grass and above all there were no angry guests, no shouting and no loud noises. This is so different from what I am used to at any amusement park and I LOVED it. It truly made the difference to us as a family.

It is so important that there is something for every one of all ages. My kids are seven years apart so planning activities for them can be hard. We have been to several places where they can’t go on rides together (one is too small, one is too big or maybe they just aren’t interested). This never happened at Centreville. Our eldest took his little brother on the brand new Toronto Island Mine Coaster, they played mini putt, we went on The Centreville Train ride together and even went down the log flume ride (and I still deny that I screamed the whole way down). It was an incredible experience for us a family, we have not laughed like that in a long time. And with over thirty rides to choose from, we were never once bored and actually stayed four hours longer than we had originally planned to.

A variety of food choices located conveniently near the attractions. We like to pack light and always have since our eldest was a baby. I prefer to only bring refillable water bottles and some small snacks so that I can enjoy my day just as much as my kids. Centreville had a conveniently located centre space (which resembled a small town square) that sold a variety of refreshments, drinks and meals. Located just outside the attractions (and under a five-minute walk) was a delicious restaurant, Carousel Cafe, that accommodated my boys love of meat and my need for a vegetarian meal (their spicy black bean veggie burger is incredible!!). We were able to sit outside on the patio right by the water, watching canoes go by and ducks swimming while we ate and planned our afternoon.

Quiet spaces to rest, for when the little ones get tired after all the walking and rides. I’m lying a bit here because this was a must for my husband and I, especially after lunch! It was extremely hot on the day that we visited Centreville so it was nice to just sit down in the shade by the water edge or even by the splash pad area.

The cool factor is always a must. My son and I were on a mission to get a selfie on each and every ride we went on. We hit up each ride (except for the windmill as my stomach can’t quiet handle the circular motion) in the park and managed to snap a selfie on over half the rides. The log fume ride and the Toronto Island Mine Coaster were by far some of the wilder rides but the Centreville train was exciting as it passed by Far Enough Farm. Far Enough Farm definitely added a great late afternoon treat as we walked through and met the animals. It was awesome to see how much the animals loved their farm handlers, at one point we were calling to Darby (the Centreville horse) who ignored us but when Darby’s farm handler called, the horse came trotting over excited to see him.

Tips for Your Next Trip to Centreville:

Arrive early to take advantage of the small line ups for rides. While the boys never waited more than five minutes for a ride, when we first arrived they were able to go on the same ride over and over because not too many people had arrived yet.
Make a mission for the day! For my eldest son and I, this was to snap as many selfies as we could mid-ride. We had so much fun snapping these photos.
Pack light and enjoy the amenities. When you pack light you have less to worry about and can just relax and enjoy yourself.
Buy the all day ride pass – it is worth it. The rides are so much fun and I can still picture my kid’s faces as we went on the rides together. Since there is no admission fee to get into the area you are already saving a lot so take advantage of this.
Use the Far Enough Farm experience to educate your child about animals and the need to love and protect them.
We noticed some pretty awesome historical signs up in the park, like the one near the Carousel ride. Check them out with your older child and when you get home do some research about Centre Island and the ferry. You may learn some new and cool facts.

Have you been to Centreville and if so what is your favourite memory of Centreville?

This post is generously sponsored by Centreville, but the images and opinions are my own. For more information please visit www.centreisland.ca.

June 10, 2015

Introducing Your Child to the Theatre at the Shaw Festival

Introducing Your Child to Theatre at the Shaw Festival

I love attending plays and this was a huge part of my childhood. My parents took us to Beauty and the Beast, ballet, Phantom of the Opera and so many more fantastic live shows. I love the architecture of the theatres, the thrill in the audience and the raw emotions from the actors. Sometimes I feel as though children are not encouraged to attend because they have shorter attention spans or they may act out. While this can be true at times, you should always encourage them to attend with you. These are social experiences that will last with them for a long time. One of the best places to experience live theatre is at the Shaw Festival!

Here are some helpful tips for your child’s first visit to a live play:

Arrive early and walk around the city. Niagara on the Lake is stunning in the summer months with the flowers and scenery, so take advantage of this with your child. Pack a lunch to enjoy in one of the parks or try out one of the fabulous restaurants that line Queen Street. This walk really helped our youngest burn a lot of energy while allowing us to see lots of beautiful architecture in the city as well as the lake.

Visit the local shops along Queen Street. We found so many unique shops and this one particular shop really caught the attention of both of our boys with the wind chimes. They fell in love! We spent twenty minutes in this store alone and they came home with a special chime just for them to remember the day.

Niagara on the Lake is rich in history and everywhere you turn there is a sign or flag to display that heritage. Why not really make it a day and visit Fort George for an hour or two? During the War of 1812, Fort George served as the headquarters for the Centre Division of the British Army. This was an important part of our trip as well as we were able to blend some education value into this stop as well as having fun walking around the site (and pretending to shoot cannons!).

The doors to the Royal George open an hour early, so make sure you get in there and take some time to relax in the downstairs lobby. Use this time to make sure your children go to the bathroom, get a small snack and maybe something to drink. The boys loved the mini stage and tables that were set around it. We enjoyed some cool, quiet time before the show started.

The play will make your trip so research what you will see and talk about it with your children. We attended Peter and the Starcatcher, which was fantastic and was a perfect fit for our family! It was full of humour, action and adventure. At one point our youngest was so involved in the action scenes with the Black Stache that he called out no when he was attacking Peter. It was adorable to watch how involved they were in the play and to me this is what theatre is all about, drawing you in to the raw emotions and feelings of the play. The actors in Peter and the Starcatcher did an amazing job drawing you and keeping you entertained throughout the whole two hours. We did not want the show to end!

End your day with ice cream! We stopped in at the Il Gelato di Carlotta, which serves the most divine gelato! I had the Dolce Vita and was in love at first bite. This was the perfect way for us to celebrate the wonderful day we had. Not only is their gelato delicious, they also source all of their fresh fruit from local farms (a win win in my mind!).

The Shaw Festival is the perfect opportunity for you to introduce your child to live theatre, which will be an experience they will not forget!

What other tips can you offer to parents taking their child to live theatre for the first time?

Disclosure: I received tickets to Peter and the Starcatcher. All opinions expressed are my own.